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Sunday, July 29, 2012

Welcome back, Debra. How did you come up
with the idea for this story?

I love mail-order bride stories. I was trying to think of a
different twist on this one, as I had already done the brother-ordering-a-bride-for-his
wife in The Unexpected Bride and a she-wasn’t-what-he-was-expecting in The
Unlikely Wife. With Groom Wanted
being a part of a mail-order bride series, I needed something different. So, I
thought about Jake Lure from The Unlikely Wife and Michael’s sister,
Leah because the two of them had become such good friends. I thought it would
be interesting if they both decided to place an ad for a spouse, but for two
very different reasons though. Thus, Groom Wanted, was born.

If you were planning
a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would
you invite and why?

Only six, huh? Wow, that’s going to be hard, as I love so
many authors and would love to party with them all. But, if I’m only allowed
six, I would pick: Staci Stallings, Jillian Hart, Sandra Bricker, Sharon
Gillenwater, Cheryl Wolverton, and Francine Rivers. Why? Because their writings are either very
poetic or extremely memorable and romantic. I would invite them so that I could
pick their brains to see how they came to write so beautifully. There are many
more authors whose books are memorable, and who I would like to get to know,
but, you only allowed me six. Shame on you, Lena.
Just teasing. *smiling*

Now let’s do that for
a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you
invite and why?

Again, only six. Okay. Wow. Once again, there are many I
would love to party with. But, if I’m confined to only six, I would first of
all invite Jane Austen. Okay, okay, I know she can’t come because she’s
deceased, but if she wasn’t, I would invite her. I would also invite Lori Wick,
Traci Peterson, Janette Oke, Julie Lessman, Mary Connealy, and Lori Copeland. Why? For the
same reason I would have invited the contemporary Christian authors. Because their
books are either memorable or very romantic or humorous, or all of those things
combined, and I feel that I could learn so much from them. As I have from you, Lena. Thank you for all the numerous times you have
helped me. You rock!

My pleasure and great
blessing, Debra. Many times, people (and other authors) think you have it made
with so many books published. What is your most difficult problem with writing
at this time in your career?

Actually, I recently struggled with not wanting to write anymore,
and I couldn’t understand why especially since it was something I used to love.
I coined the words “used to” because writing was becoming a chore, and I had
started to detest it, and yet I had no idea why. I hated feeling this way, so I
asked God to show me what was wrong. Are you ready for this? It was Fear of
Failure. Didn’t matter that I had sold ten books. Didn’t matter that the ones
that are already out had great reviews. I still felt like a failure. After more
soul searching and much prayer, I realized that I had allowed the editor in my
head and other people’s opinions to take control of my writing instead of the
Holy Spirit. I had started writing for man, to please man, instead of God.
Anytime I do that, it is doomed to fail. So that’s why I was feeling like a
failure. Right after the Lord revealed that to me, I sat down to write and asked
the Lord to guide me. I told Him I wasn’t writing for anyone else but Him and
asked Him to show me what He wanted me to say, the way He wanted me to say it,
and the flow started again. I am now enjoying and loving the journey of writing
again.

Another problem I have encountered is: I have to be careful to not write
the same things that are in my other stories. For example: My heroine being
accosted or rescued from a robber. I started to write that in my WIP and caught
myself. As for others thinking I have it made, well, I have to laugh. One time,
I had asked a writing loop a question concerning writing. At the time I had six
published books. A person wrote me back completely befuddled. They said
something like, “You’re published, right? How come you need to ask this? Don’t you
already know the answer?” I had to chuckle. I, too, used to think the same
thing, that multi-published authors had all the answers. I soon learned that
we’re all still learning and growing with each new book we write. I think when
we stop learning and growing, then our job of writing is over.

Tell us about the
featured book.

Here’s the back cover blurb:It's a perfect plan—best friends Leah Bowen and Jake Lure
will each advertise for mail-order spouses in the papers, and then Jake will
help select Leah's future husband, while Leah picks Jake's bride-to-be! Surely
the ads will find them what they seek: a wife who'll appreciate Jake's shy
charm and a groom who'll take Leah away from the IdahoTerritory
she detests. When the responses to the postings pour in, it seems all Leah's
and Jake's dreams will soon come true. But the closer they each get to the
altar, the less appealing marrying a stranger becomes. Is it too late to turn
back—or to turn around and find the happiness they truly seek together, at
last?

Please give us the
first page of the book.

Here it is:

Paradise Haven

IdahoTerritory, 1886

Nine
men had replied to her "Groom Wanted" ad.

Leah
Bowen couldn't believe she'd received so many that quickly. Her heart skipped
as she fingered the envelopes that might very well hold her future and her only
avenue of escape from the nightmares that plagued her.

"You,
too, huh?"

"Twinkling
stars above!" Leah gasped and whirled toward the sound of Jake Lure's deep
voice. Her nose came within an inch of jamming into the napped wool shirt
covering her friend's massive chest. Pleasant scents of springtime and sunshine
floated from him.

Near
the front door of Paradise Haven's post office Jake stood, looking over her
shoulder at the posts in her hand. Most people were intimidated by his massive
size, but she wasn't. Underneath that outdoorsy, muscular exterior was a gentle
giant.

"What—what
do you mean, 'you, too'?" Leah glanced at the top envelope with the very
noticeable masculine script and tucked them into her reticule. She tossed the
end of her purple knit scarf over her shoulder and gathered the edges of the
collar of her wool coat closer together.

Jake
held up a packet of letters. "Got these in the mail today."

"Oh?
What are they?" she asked with all the innocence she could muster.

"Same
thing as that stack you just put in your purse."

"What?
You mean letters?"

"Those
envelopes you have aren't just any ole letters." One of Jake's eyebrows
rose. "They're answers to your advertisement."

Advertisement?
She swallowed hard. Did he know she'd placed an ad for a husband? "What
are you talking about?" Leah hated playacting, but she had no choice. She
refused to offer Jake any information concerning her personal ad. Just because
he had mentioned how he wanted to place an advertisement for a wife during one
of the many times she and Abby had visited him over the past eleven months
didn't mean she had to confide in him that she, too, had wanted to do that very
same thing. So how did he know? Or was he only speculating?

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First of all, I'd like to thank you, Lena, for hosting me on your blog again. It's always such a blessing to be here.

Thank you, Angela, for stopping by. Lena's blog is always so much fun. She's an amazing person. And super funny.

Ladette, what a beautiful, unique name. How did your mother come up with it, do you know?

Hi Brooke. I'm glad you enjoyed the interview. Lena always asks such interesting questions.You are so right about the needing to learn and grow can be carried over to many aspects of our lives. I think when we stop learning, we're in trouble. *smiling*

I also love reading about mail-order brides and would love to win Groom Wanted. I can identify with that since I put an ad in a magazine 29 years ago. My hubby and I have been married for 27 years!Thanks for the chance to win.

I havent read any of Debras sstories but would love to start with ths one. Being a published author i can relate to what Debbie said about still learning and growing. Im glad to know im not alone.Debbie Malone"Death in Dahlonega"

I wanted to let everyone here to know that Liberty Belle Kindle Addition is FREE today!!! I don't know how long it will be free so go check it out! You can go directly to it from this blog's Home page; scroll down looking on the left side of the screen till you find "Liberty Belle".